Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks
Philippine Eagle
Pithecophaga jefferyi
- Length
- 86–102 cm
- Family
- Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks (Accipitridae)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
Overview
The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), also known as the monkey-eating eagle or great Philippine eagle, is a critically endangered species of eagle of the family Accipitridae which is endemic to forests in the Philippines. It has brown and white-coloured plumage, a shaggy crest, and generally measures 86 to 102 cm (2.82 to 3.35 ft) in length and weighs 4.04 to 8.0 kg (8.9 to 17.6 lb).
The Philippine eagle is considered the largest of the extant eagles in the world in terms of length and wing surface area, with only Steller's sea eagle and the Harpy eagle being larger in terms of weight and bulk. It has been declared the national bird of the Philippines. It is also depicted in the Philippine one thousand-peso note.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Mainly colugos, monkeys and other forest mammals.
How to identify it
- Very large forest eagle with a shaggy, spiky crest
- Deep, arched blue-grey bill
- Creamy-white underparts and dark brown back
Where to see it
- Mount Kitanglad and Mount Apo, Mindanao
Range and habitat
Luzon, East Visayas, and Mindanao (northern, east-central, and southern Philippines).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Philippine eagle
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
